Club Jade

‘A Galaxy of Passion’ is yet another gem from OneMinuteGalactica, maker of French Existentialist Star Wars, The Worst Couple in the Universe, The Star Wars Zone and more.

From the maker of forty inspirational speeches in 2 minutes, for the mush-lovers

Bob Anderson, who did Darth Vader’s fighting in The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, has died at age 89.

Anderson’s work on the Star Wars films was originally supposed to be a secret, but Mark Hamill outted him in a 1983 interview.

“It was always supposed to be a secret, but I finally told (director) George (Lucas) I didn’t think it was fair any more,” Hamill told Starlog magazine. “Bob worked so bloody hard that he deserves some recognition. It’s ridiculous to preserve the myth that it’s all done by one man.”

An Olympic fencer for Great Britain in 1952, Anderson staged fights, coached actors and worked on stunts for dozens of movies, including Highlander, The Princess Bride, and the Lord of the Rings trilogy.

UPDATE: Hamill posted a dedication to Anderson on Twitter Tuesday afternoon:

Thinking of Bob Anderson- fencing master & my instructor. Thank you for your expertise, kindness & patience. I am eternally grateful to you!

— Mark Hamill (@HamillHimself) January 3, 2012

Four-year-old Faris sees The Empire Strikes Back for the first time.

A new extra is up on Youtube, this time featuring the AT-ATs of Empire.

Entertainment Weekly has footage from an extended version of Han and Leia’s corridor scene on Hoth..

Star Wars Aficionado has a leaked list of scenes that may be making their debut on the Blu-rays.

UPDATE: TFN has a list of extras, which a Lucasfilm rep told them are “accurate but incomplete.”

The official Youtube account now has scenes from each movie in HD. I’m not embedding them because you have to go directly to Youtube to select the HD version (Example in the screenshout above.) Check them out: The Phantom Menace, Attack of the Clones, Revenge of the Sith, A New Hope, The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi.

There’s a new extra posted as well: A feature on the Acklay creature from Attack of the Clones. That’s available in HD as well, but there’s an embed under the cut. (more…)

Audrey M. Brown interviews Ashley Eckstein about Her Universe and female fans. Meanwhile, the new two shirts and kids sizes that debuted at Star Wars Weekends are now available through the Her Universe website. (Be sure to check out what’s on sale – several shirts are going for half off!)

• Lucasfilm and Fox hosted a private media event in New York last week, which means a handful of new Blu-ray details have made their way to us, via Big Picture, Big Sound. Looks like the Precious Moments-esque complete saga set comes in the form of a booklet.

• Some fans are so put out by Sony shutting down Star Wars Galaxies that they’re actually considering suing? There’s also a petition: Apparently at least 2,500 are still playing the thing, which I would have sworn was put out of its misery ages ago. Go figure.
• Greenpeace is using Star Wars to strike back at Volkswagen for opposing environmental legislation in Europe.
• Star Wars is #5 and Empire #2 on Total Film’s list of the 50 greatest sci-fi movies. Who beat them out? Well, I can tell you one thing: It ain’t The Godfather.

Since it’s a holiday weekend – at least here in the U.S! – and we all have other things going on, here’s a quick sweep through the week’s best fannish links.

• Arkansas, of all places, has a Star Wars-themed grilled cheese food truck. Sandwiches include the “Cheebacca” and “Jack to the Future.” (Photo by redditpoweruser.)

• Vulture has a history of the movie prequel. There’s also how to make a sequel, but Star Wars doesn’t get a mention. Perhaps because The Empire Strikes Back ruined everything?
• Go offbeat with home decor that channels the Death Star and a Star Wars wedding down under. (Nice choice for a wedding dress!)
• Utah Vader and co. profiled in The Salt Lake Tribune
• Make a X-Wing soapbox derby car or an “I know” embroidery case.
• Brand Wars: From Sith, Jedi, and Vader to everything in-between.
• io9 takes a look back at “Lapti Nek.“